Posts in Writing
A New High School YA Romance With a Black Female Lead
A New High School YA Romance With a Black Female Lead

In my new high school YA romance, Chloe—the female lead—is Black. She’s a second-generation Haitian-American.

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Writing, FictionAshley Cantavenew, high school, YA romance, Black, female lead, main character, story, characters, confess, feelings, intense, crush, permed hair, young adult romance, date, secrets, good friend, love, friend zone, smart, schoolwork, family, parents, teenager, INFJ, INFJ personality, teen romance, personality typeComment
Navigating the Line Between Love and Friendship—and Childhood and Adulthood—in YA Romance
Navigating the Line Between Love and Friendship—and Childhood and Adulthood—in YA Romance

One of the biggest challenges she faces is trying to be a good friend to Simon while having an intense crush on Mordecai.

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Writing, Fiction, FriendshipAshley Cantavelove, friendship, childhood, adulthood, YA romance, confess, feelings, high school, complicated, good friend, crush, attachment, date, story, choose, decision, coming-of-age, attention, deep love, kid, friend, characters, love triangle, young adult romance, partner, teenager, intenseComment
When “Just Friends” Isn’t Enough, But You Hold On Anyway: Exploring This Concept in Teen Romance
When “Just Friends” Isn’t Enough, But You Hold On Anyway: Exploring This Concept in Teen Romance

Have you ever been just friends with someone but wanted more from the relationship?

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Writing, Fiction, FriendshipAshley Cantavejust friends, concept, teen romance, relationship, friendship, crush, confess, feelings, friend, distance, unrequited, unrequited love, date, heart, story, good friend, intense, love, stay friends, pain, potential partner, forget, deep connection, INFJ personality, deeply, secrets, comfortable, complicated, conversations, YA romanceComment
How Secrets Affect a Complex Character in a New High School Romance
How Secrets Affect a Complex Character in a New High School Romance

Before you judge Mordecai too harshly, there’s something you should know about him. He has secrets.

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Writing, FictionAshley Cantavesecrets, complex, character, high school romance, confess, feelings, love, story, date, complicated, friendship, friends, distance, behavior, heart, comfortable, attachment, trust, conversation, YA romance, good friend, crush, main characters, young adult romance, interactionsComment
Why She Chooses to Stay Friends With Someone She Loves: Exploring This Question in YA Romance
Why She Chooses to Stay Friends With Someone She Loves: Exploring This Question in YA Romance

Since Chloe is a teenager, it’s understandable that she still has a lot to learn about many things.

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Writing, Fiction, FriendshipAshley Cantavestay friends, love, YA romance, new, young adult romance, confess, feelings, friendships, friendship, high school, date, just friends, complex, secrets, feel, special, story, pain, complicated, intense, INFJ personality, INFJ, deep love, distance, let go, forget, potential partner, understand, healthy, relationship, strong, choose, sense of self, good friend, partner, teenager, high school romanceComment
Dealing With Unrequited Love for a Friend in a New YA Romance
Dealing With Unrequited Love for a Friend in a New YA Romance

Even so—even after all the time they spend together—Simon still struggles to tell Chloe how he feels.

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Writing, Fiction, FriendshipAshley Cantaveunrequited love, friend, new, YA romance, confess, feelings, high school, crush, date, complicated, friendship, good friend, story, complexity, love, teen, relationships, teenagers, being friends, just friends, mixed signals, friends, IM chat, friend zone, teen romance, young adult romanceComment
Being Friends With Someone You Have Feelings For: Lessons from a New Teen Romance
Being Friends With Someone You Have Feelings For: Lessons from a New Teen Romance

This type of dynamic can be complicated at any age, but I think it’s especially challenging when you’re a teen.

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Writing, Fiction, FriendshipAshley Cantavebeing friends, feelings, lessons, teen romance, crush, friend, complicated, friendship, confessing, confess, romantic relationship, teen, main character, YA romance, high school, student, intense, good friend, love, fiction, characters, priorities, focus, priority, just friends, friend zone, potential, jealousy, mixed signals, distance, healthy, relationships, strong, secrets, qualities, high school romance, friendships, love story, relationship, learn, story, young adult romanceComment
A New Coming-of-Age YA Romance in 2025
A New Coming-of-Age YA Romance in 2025

Despite Chloe’s maturity and the freedoms that will come with adulthood, she longs for the simplicity of childhood.

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Writing, FictionAshley Cantavecoming-of-age, YA romance, stories, characters, story, high school, in love, good friend, complicated, feels, feelings, friend, choose, teen romance, confess, partner, relationships, transition, adulthood, young adult, teenagers, childhood, kids, adults, adult, friendships, crush, play, games, deep love, romantic relationship, high school romance, young adult romance, love storyComment
The Good Girl, the Good Friend, and the Guy With Secrets: Relatable Characters in a New Teen Romance
The Good Girl, the Good Friend, and the Guy With Secrets: Relatable Characters in a New Teen Romance

One of the things that makes these characters relatable is that…they do have their flaws and they make mistakes from time to time.

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Writing, FictionAshley Cantavegood girl, good friend, secrets, relatable, characters, new, teen romance, confess, feelings, love story, high school, love triangle, main character, crush, flaws, mistakes, qualities, authentic, studious, teenager, intense, distance, phone calls, IM chats, friends, friendship, friend zone, comfort, love, complicated, just friends, mixed signals, high school romance, YA romance, young adult romance, complex, storyComment
From IM Chats to Late-Night Phone Calls—Experience a New High School YA Romance
From IM Chats to Late-Night Phone Calls—Experience a New High School YA Romance

High school romance can be fun because you get to experience the simplicity of youth while also mixing in preparation for more adult stuff.

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Writing, FictionAshley CantaveIM chats, phone calls, high school, YA romance, new, confess, feelings, love story, young adult romance, good friend, crush, friend zone, communication, story, communicate, characters, friendship, conversations, talk, texting, mixed signals, just friends, instant messaging, childhood, adulthood, teenagers, adults, transition, high school romance, adult, teen, main character, young adult, teen romanceComment
High School Romance Recommendation: “What Happens After You Confess Your Feelings to Someone?”
High School Romance Recommendation: “What Happens After You Confess Your Feelings to Someone?”

As far as high school romance goes, this story has a lot of unique elements to it.

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Writing, FictionAshley Cantavehigh school romance, confess, feelings, high school, crush, date, behavior, love, complicated, friendship, friend, good friend, story, young adult romance, teen romance, characters, messy, just friends, teenagers, teen, relationships, unrequited love, no spice, emotional connection, love triangle, main character, love interests, friends to lovers, hidden, relationship, complex, nostalgia, modernity, nostalgic, authentic, main characters, relatable, good girl, secrets, perspective, perm, relaxer, Black hair care, teenager, love story, YA romance, experienceComment
A New Young Adult Romance That Sheds Light on Black Hair Care
A New Young Adult Romance That Sheds Light on Black Hair Care

Although it is a love story, it includes a lot of detail about what the main character has to go through to keep her perm looking nice.

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Writing, FictionAshley Cantavenew, young adult romance, teen, perm, straighten, hair, relaxer, Black hair care, Black hair, portrayals, girls, hairdressers, manage, maintain, permed hair, love story, main character, young adult, story, high school, love triangle, good friend, crush, YA romance, ending, outcomeComment
Yearning to Go Back to a Simpler Time? This YA Romance Might Be Just What You Need
Yearning to Go Back to a Simpler Time? This YA Romance Might Be Just What You Need

If you went to high school before the internet had become such a big thing…you may sometimes feel nostalgic for a time when things were simpler.

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Writing, FictionAshley Cantavego back, simpler time, YA romance, young adult romance, crush, confessed, feelings, friend, good friend, love, friend zone, confess, setting, story, time period, modern, benefits, 2000s, revisit, past, high school, internet, social media, nostalgic, simpler, friends, technology, distractions, friendship, interactions, instant messaging, phone calls, characters, interact, heartbreak, main character, public, connection, modern times, communicating, atypical, ending, cellphones, texting, emotional, connectComment
A New Young Adult Romance Story With No Spice
A New Young Adult Romance Story With No Spice

Sometimes when I’m writing a story, I like to get lost in the emotional aspects of it. And that can be easier when I don’t include spice.

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Writing, FictionAshley Cantaveyoung adult romance, story, no spice, emotional, connection, characters, friendship, heartbreak, love, feelings, good friend, friend zone, friend, secrets, emotion, emotions, young adult, proximity, distance, interactions, attachment, different, romance, decision, outcome, choose, YA romanceComment
Dear Fiction Writers, Make Sure Your Life Is As Fulfilling As Those of Your Characters
Dear Fiction Writers, Make Sure Your Life Is As Fulfilling As Those of Your Characters

You should be filling your days with as much of what makes you happy as possible—and not just writing.

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Writing, FictionAshley Cantavefiction writers, fiction writer, happy endings, characters, endings, happiness, thrills, pleasures, fear, stories, challenges, obstacles, courage, comfort zone, adventures, duties, obligations, happy, writing, uncomfortable, fulfilling, fun, technique, unfulfilling, story, fiction, fictionalized, version, real life, ending, method, worthy, good things, change, young adult romance, reciprocal loveComment